A refugee is a person who has been forced to flee her or his home due to violent conflict, war, or persecution of race, ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs.

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As of June 2016, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees reported that there are more than 65.3 million people who have been forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide, and among them 21.3 million are refugees.

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Many of these people have fled their country and are living in neighboring countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Ethiopia because it is unsafe for them to return home. Some choose to wait in camps and cities in hopes of being resettled in countries such as the United States, Australia, and Canada. While others make the decision to migrate to more developed countries in Europe and Asia. REN currently serves refugees who have arrived in Kenya and Japan in search of safety.